DR of Congo: UN deplores capture of strategic town in country's southeast

Reacting to the news that the strategic town of Moliro, in the southeastern corner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had been captured by elements of the rebel RCD-Goma, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced grave concern over the development and urged all sides to resume dialogue.

A spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a statement released on Saturday that the United Nations deplored the capture, which took place after repeated appeals by the UN Security Council to cease all fighting in the area.

"The Secretary-General has instructed the United Nations Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) to assist in the immediate disengagement and withdrawal of all military forces from this town and other contested locations in the southeast," the statement said. "Accordingly, MONUC will be prepared to deploy its military observers in those locations, subject to security guarantees."

The spokesman said that Mr. Annan also appealed to the Congolese parties to immediately resume the inter-Congolese dialogue.